October 1, 2009 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Thursday, October 1, 2009

October 1, 2009 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 9:44 AM :: 8140 Views

Hanabusa enters race for Congress

"Hawai'i has always been very dependent on federal programs and federal aid, and thanks to our congressional delegation, we've been able to get more than our fair share," she said. "We need to continue to work together, especially for a state like ours in which the major economic engines are sensitive to the global economy."

She ran unsuccessfully for the 2nd Congressional District seat in the 2002 special election to replace Patsy Mink (finishing third behind the winner, Case) and again in 2006, when she lost a close election to current U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono.

Advertiser polls CD 1 Race as if Djou did not exist

If the race for the 1st Congressional District were held today, for whom would you vote?

Choices: Ed Case, Colleen Hanabusa and "other".

Honolulu rail funding shortfall shrinks (and cost grows) in city's latest estimate ("only" $360M short)

The city's latest financial plan for the East Kapolei to Ala Moana commuter rail line anticipates a $360 million shortfall in tax collections.

The financial plan, which was revised in August, paints a rosier picture than a May version that showed tax collections coming in about $500 million short. The improvement is based on an expectation that the economy will rebound sooner.

The latest financial plan also revised the cost of the 20-mile, elevated rail line upward by $190 million to an inflation-adjusted $5.5 billion.

Tourism slides again in August

Total visitor arrivals for the 50th state did not change in August in relation to the same month last year, but average daily visitor spending fell from $176 to $153.

“O‘ahu has weathered the storm much better,” Kanoho said, attributing the reason to its “diversity in hotel rates.”
“Everybody is price-driven,” she said.

The tourism industry continued to slide in August on Kaua‘i and year-to-date visitor arrivals were down some 13 percent compared to last year, according to Hawai‘i Tourism Authority officials.

Isle bankruptcies hit 4-year high

With nearly 2,300 cases filed so far this year, the state could see 3,000 bankruptcies by the end of 2009, said bankruptcy attorney Blake Goodman.

"Even though it sounds like we're falling off the economic map," we are not, he said, noting that as many as 4,000 to 5,000 cases were filed each year in the late 1990s.

SB: Petty politics over prison

And surprise, surprise, the Democrat Bulletin says it is Lingle who is petty. Amazingly they write:

"...it doesn't seem that state Sen. Shan Tsutsui (D, Wailuku-Kahului) was engaging in mindless criticism...."

Maui: March for return of water to 4 streams

(OHA is seeking control of water in order to use it's control to extract $$$ from developers. No more. No less.)

Rubbish fee could generate $10M annually for county

Implementing a pay-as-you-throw system at the county's 21 recycling and transfer stations could generate more than $10 million in revenue annually, however, residents would have to pay about $2 per bag they dispose at island transfer stations.

"It's a financial incentive for people to reduce their own waste. It's a way to help drive recycling and pay for the new additional services that will help the county move toward zero waste," said CH2M Hill Consulting Economist Dan Pitzler, noting a 2006 report by the Environmental Protection Agency that showed 7,000 U.S. communities kept 6.5 million tons of municipal waste out of landfills by implementing similar pay-as-you-throw programs.

(And they did it by illegally dumping waste along roadsides and in empty lots. But the Enviros got a revenue stream to create jobs for themselves.)

Kauai: 3 charter amendments move forward

Amendments that would streamline the county’s financial procedures, require disclosures by county employees authorized to spend public funds, and extend from 30 to 60 days the time in which the Board of Ethics must render a requested advisory opinion were moved forward unanimously by the four-member Charter Review Commission at its regular monthly meeting Monday at the Historic County Building.

Hawaii Supreme Court disputes laser gun test in speeding case

In a ruling released yesterday involving a man accused of exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 mph, the court wrote that prosecutors could not show that the way Honolulu police tested the laser gun used to nab drivers conformed with standards of the device's manufacturer.

State Deputy Public Defender Ronette Kawakami, whose office represented Abiye Assaye, said the ruling has "far-reaching consequences" because of the number of speeding cases that are pending. Kawakami said the ruling also could affect future speeding charges unless HPD can prove that its testing methods conform with manufacturer's specifications.